Buena Vida Cattle Company was established in 2015 when we moved out to the ranch in Kingsbury, Texas where our operation currently runs. Although 2015 was the start of Buena Vida, our involvement in the Santa Gertrudis breed starts decades before that.

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With her father as her ag teacher, Heather grew up showing every animal that could be shown in the state of Texas, yet her heart was always with the cherry red Santa Gertrudis heifers. Growing up in Carrizo Springs, Texas, many of Heather's show heifers came from the legendary Chapparosa Ranches and the Amy Alexander herd. When she graduated high school, she sold off her herd to the Y.N. Strait Family, who at the time had the Strait Ranches herd in Carrizo. 

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Years later, Harrison and Kalli were born and it was time to get into showing heifers again. We couldn't have made a better decision than to come back to the breed we grew up with and got some of Harrison and Kalli's first Santa Gertrudis heifers from Mr. Y.N. Strait and Mr. Couch. Our family kept a handful of females from 2008 to 2015 that were just show heifers and managed our tiny herd between New Braunfels and Carrizo. Finally, in 2015 we had the opportunity to purchase the ranch we are at now and that was the beginning of Buena Vida. 

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Buena Vida, translating to "The Good Life", has been our family motto since we made our way to Kingsbury, knowing that this ranch would give us the opportunity to pursue big things. Our brand, including half of a V and half of a B, has come to represent just that. Our herd has grown to about 85 head of purebred Santa Gertrudis cattle from what was maybe a dozen retired show heifers. Since 2015, we have heavily focused on our female base, whether it be purchasing donors or creating our own. That emphasis on superior maternal genetics has led to an impressive and ever developing bull battery as well. No matter the sex of the animal, our goal has always been quality over quantity. We're proud of everything we have accomplished in and out of the showring, but we're even more proud that our successes have been with bred & owned females and bulls. 

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Now as Kalli and Harrison have aged out of junior shows, Heather, Kevin, and Kalli are working hard to produce some of the most elite show prospects on the market. We have come a long way in a short amount of time, and can't wait to help others find their way to the backdrop.